Comisión Estatal de Elecciones 1 STATE ELECTIONS COMMISSION Work Summary 1991-1996 2 3 4 Contents 7 Message from the President 8 Introduction 10 Elections by Decree and General Elections of Delegates to the Spanish Courts 12 General Elections in Puerto Rico under United States Rule 14 Geneology of Political Parties in Puerto Rico 16 Brief Review about the Development of Puerto Rico’s Electoral System 18 The State Elections Commission (SEC) 20 Mission Accomplished: 1991-1996 22 State Elections Commission Officials and Former Officials 24 Tasks and Duties Performed 26 Starting Point 27 Electoral Events 28 1991 Referendum on the Guarantee of Democratic Rights 32 1992 Presidential Primaries 34 1992 Political Party Primaries 36 1992 Depuration of the Electoral Lists 37 1992 General Elections 39 1993 Plebiscite on Political Status Formulas 42 1994 Referendum on Amendments to the Puerto Rico Constitution Bail Increase the Number of Supreme Court Justices 5 45 1995 Political Party Primaries Contents 46 1996 General Elections 48 Special Elections 49 Achievements of the Commission 50 Productivity of the Commission's Offices 51 Administration 54 Human Resources Office 55 Legal Affairs Office 56 Auditing Office 60 Education and Training 61 Press and Public Relations Office 64 Security Office 66 Office of the Secretary Report on Exclusions 1992-1996 69 Planning Office 71 Information Systems and Electronic Processing Office (OSIPE) 74 Electoral Studies Center 75 Electoral Operations 77 Permanent Registration Boards (JIP) Evaluation Service of the Permanent Registration Boards 79 New Local Political Parties by Petition 79 Auction Board 80 College Activities Planning and Development Program 81 Absentee Vote Administrative Board (JAVA) 84 Advertising Review Board 85 SEC’s Advertising 86 The Commission's International Projection 88 The Future of the Commission 6 uring the celebration of the 1991 - 1996 Electoral Events SEC DPresident Hon. Juan R. Melecio shared his time with electoral workers and members of the press on his visits to the Electoral Colleges. 7 Message from the President or the State Elections Commission this Freport represents the successful closing of a chapter filled with great achievements in the electoral field. Carrying out eight electoral events between 1991 and 1996 gave the Commission the opportunity to accomplish a world record number of results in electoral events successfully held and reported. Our personnel set itself to the task in body and soul, to grow day by day, and standing shoulder to shoulder regardless of political affiliations. They are the true anonymous heroes of the mission we have accomplished. With this same degree of effort we were able to keep our Agency moving forward and achieve a 100% improvement of our image and credibility, as well as the release of electoral reports in record time. However, I have to aknowledge those who preceded the current electoral organism, and I should add that the experience in the electoral process held by the commission colleages was achieved through time and hard, creative work. Counting with the initiative of this personnel was inspiring, because thanks to their example, we improved our physical facilities and acquired advanced technical systems and equipment that allowed us to deliver better service to the electorate. We have crossed horizons and placed ourselves within an international context to let our electoral system be known to the world. For these reasons, I invite you to share in this report the achievements of the men and women who, joined hand in hand by a dedication to hard "Carrying out eight electoral events between work and orientation to results, changed history to 1991 and 1996 gave the Commission the opportunity to accomplish a world record the benefit of Puerto Rican democracy and the number of results in electoral events State Elections Commission. successfully held and reported." 8 Introduction his report is a summary of all the work carried out Tby the State Elections Commission during the electoral events held between 1991 and 1996. Here you will find the highlights, processes, laws, achievements and the work carried out by each division of the Commission and, above all, the goals achieved from 1991 and 1996. The Commission would have liked to present this work report much earlier; however, the 1991 Referendum on Democratic Rights Law initiated a chain of subsequent electoral events, including the 1992 Presidential Primaries, the 1992 Political Party Primaries, the 1992 General Elections, the 1993 Plebiscite on Political Status Formulas, the 1994 Referendum on Amendments to the Constitution, the 1995 Political Party Primaries and the 1996 General Elections wich delayed the report's production. Holding all these electoral events, and delivering the constant services provided to the electorate by the Commission, required a great degree of direction, planning and organization on the part of the State Elections Commission. If we try to recall the work done during this time, or if we search through press files and newspaper reports, we If we search through would probably find in this memories, as well as in public press files and opinion, positive notes which point to a united work newspaper reports, we would probably team joined in performing an excellent job. find in this memories, as well as in public opinion, positive notes which point to a united work team joined in performing an excellent job 9 For the past years, the Commission has become an agent of change. Together we have achieved monumental goals; notable among these is the construction of a new headquarters building at a cost of over fifty million dollars, which will be ready for occupancy between 1998 and 1999. Also remarkable are the formalization of relations with several international electoral organizations, our active participation as consultants and observers in Latin American countries, and our entrance into the Interamerican Union of Electoral Organisms. In the meantime, we have held eight electoral events, emphasized the development of our technological infrastructure, and have set the foundations for the Commission’s entry into the XXI century as an efficient and modern organism that retains the people’s credibility and trust. Hon. Juan R. Melecio, SEC President 1809 Puerto Rico's first elections take place 10 Elections by Decree and General Elections of Delegates to the Spanish Courts, 1809-18961 Recount of Elections in Puerto Rico To begin a recount of the elections celebrated in Puerto Rico, we have to go back to 1809. Back then, the elections were very important because they were of constitutional type. These elections took place every two to three years to elect Delegates to the Spanish Courts, Attorneys and Senators. Since universal suffrage was limited, Puerto Ricans did not vote for political posts of the highest authority, like governor. Although, it was not until November 4, 1952 that Puerto Ricans voted to elect their own Governor for the very first time. In point of fact, the beginnings of the Puerto Rican election process have their roots deep inside the political environment of those years. Though, limited in several aspects, said environment was quite advanced in other aspects like electoral composition and distribution. The following recount shows the main events in Puerto Rican elections history. Election Date Delegates and Procurators Aguadilla Eurípides Escoriaza July 15, 1809 Ramón Power y Giralt Mayagüez Manuel Corchado y Juarbe San Germán José Julián Acosta April 16, 1810 Ramón Power y Giralt Sabana Grande Román Baldorioty de Castro Ponce Román Baldorioty de Castro March 13, 18212 José María Quiñones Guayama José Facundo Cintrón Antonio Veguer Humacao Joaquín María Sanromá Río Piedras Francisco Mariano Quinoñes July 20, 18343 José San Just Caguas José Blanco y Sosa Esteban de Ayala Coamo Luis Padial Utuado Gregorio Ledesma y Navajas May 3 to June 3, 18694 Senators Voting percentage 69.39% Guillermo F. Tirado Wenceslao Lugo Viñaz Districts Delegates Pedro Mata San Juan Bautista Manuel Valdés Linares Luis María Pastor José Ramón Fernández Marqués de la Esperanza Juan Bautista Machicote April 27, 18846 Juan Antonio Puig Voting percentage: 68.07% Villa de Arecibo Juan Antonio Hernández José María Pascasio de Escoriaza Districts Delegates Luis Ricardo Padial Capital Fernando Arteaga Villa de Mayagüez José María Pascasio de Escoriaza Vega Baja Francisco de Paula Acuña Luis Antonio Becerra Arecibo Manuel Alcalá del Olmo Francisco de Paula Vázquez Quebradillas Manuel Fernández Capetillo Sebastián Plaja y Vidal Aguadilla Eugenio Despujol, Conde de Caspe Román Baldorioty de Castro Mayagüez Francisco Lastres San Germán Joaquín González Stéfani Sabana Grande Rafael María de Labra June 20 and 23, 18715 Ponce Ermelindo Salazar y Schuck Voting percentage: 80.54% Guayama Diego A. Martínez Humacao Antonio Soler Districts Delegates Río Piedras Martín del Salto Capital José Laureano Sanz Caguas Teodoro Guerrero Vega Baja José Antonio Alvarez Coamo Andrés Mellado Arecibo Luis Padial Utuado Angel Vallejo Miranda Quebradillas Juan Antonio Hernández 11 Senators San Germán Angel Salcedo y Ruiz Feliciano Herreros de Tejada Sabana Grande Rafael María de Labra Fernando Vida y Palacios Ponce Miguel Moya y Ojanguren Fernando Colón Márquez Guayama Miguel Martínez Campos Jaime Girón y Agrafel Humacao Juan José García Gómez Río Piedras Eduardo Gullón y Dabán Caguas Antonio Alfau y Baralt April 4, 18867 Coamo Julio Usera y Martín Voting percentage: 73.15% Utuado Francisco Martín